Bilawal Bhutto Denies Masood Azhar’s Presence in Pakistan, Is This Impact of Russia Recognising Taliban Regime in Afghanistan?

Russia is the first big power to officially recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan. In other news, Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Islamabad has no idea where Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Masood Azhar is.

There was news on July 4 from Russia's Foreign Ministry that Gul Hassan Hassan had been accepted as the Taliban's ambassador to Russia. That's the first formal recognition of the Taliban government since it took over in August 2021, after the Western military pulled out in a mess. In the past, only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates recognised the Taliban from 1996 to 2001, when they were in charge.

The ministry said that the official approval is meant to improve trade and fight terrorism. This marks a change in how Moscow deals with Kabul. Even after the Western troops left, Russia kept its embassy in Kabul. In 2024, it took the Taliban off its list of terrorist groups, which made this diplomatic move possible.

A statement from the Taliban foreign office called the recognition "a significant development" for Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is the foreign minister of the Taliban. Bilawal says Hafiz Saeed rumours are false and points to Afghanistan.

In a separate interview that aired on July 5, Pakistan People's Party chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Islamabad doesn't have any good information about where Masood Azhar is right now and suggested that he might be hiding in Afghanistan. He went on to say, "Pakistan can't do what NATO couldn't do in Afghanistan." 

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Specifically, he said that Islamabad is ready to arrest Azhar if New Delhi can show solid proof that he is in Pakistan.

Bilawal also denied media reports that Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, was free, making it clear that Saeed is still in the hands of the Pakistani government.

Azhar was named a global terrorist by the UN in 2019. He has been tied to a number of well-known Indian terror attacks, such as the attack on Parliament in 2001, the attack on Pathankot airbase in 2016, and the Pulwama bombing in 2019.

Situation and effects in the region

When Russia recognised the Taliban, it was a big step forward in international talks. Not only does it change Moscow's role in Afghan politics, but it may also make other countries rethink their positions on Kabul. However, Western countries are still cautious, citing ongoing human rights concerns like restrictions on women's education and severe limits on civil freedoms.

At the same time, Bilawal's words show how Pakistan is trying to balance its roles in the face of pressure from other countries. Islamabad says it doesn't have enough proof to take action against Azhar and is waiting for official information from India. His comments come just a few months after India launched "Operation Sindoor" in early May, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as a response to the Pahalgam attack, which was blamed on terrorists backed by Pakistan.

What will happen next?

For Afghanistan and Russia: The next few months will show if official acceptance leads to real steps towards cooperation, especially in areas of security and the economy. They will also show how the Taliban react to what the world expects of them.

For ties between Pakistan and India, Bilawal's position is likely to make people look more closely at Islamabad's efforts to fight terrorism. India might be asked to show strong proof, and Pakistan would have to show that it is taking real action against its most wanted terrorists.